Groups renew relief cry

- Panel recommended compensation of Rs 32 lakh

OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

Imphal, May 15: Citizensí organisations such as Human Rights Alert and Extra-Judicial Execution Victim Families Association, Manipur, have renewed their demand for payment of compensation to the kin of seven persons killed in alleged fake encounters on the recommendation of the National Human Rights Commission last year.

The demand for payment of compensation came on the eve of the counting for Lok Sabha polls tomorrow.

ďThe state government is not honouring the recommendations of the commission. Despite the recommendations, the government is yet to compensate the kin of the victims. The compensation should be given as recommended,Ē Renu Takhellambam, president of the association, said today.

The panel on October 25 last year had directed the Manipur government to pay compensation to the tune of Rs 32 lakh to the kin of seven persons killed in six cases between 2008 and 2012. The commission had recommended a CBI inquiry into some other cases of alleged fake encounter killings.

The commission had given four to six weeks for compliance of the recommendations made to the Manipur government. The recommendations included a CBI inquiry into the Loktak lake development activities and functioning of Churachandpur district hospital.

Takhellambam urged both the Centre and the state government to deliver justice in all cases of alleged fake encounter killings and honour human rights.

During its Imphal camp sitting, the commission had heard 46 cases, including 43 cases of alleged extra-judicial executions by Manipur police commandos and Assam Rifles personnel. The rights panel visit had come in the wake of the Supreme Courtís constitution of the Santosh Hegde Commission earlier last year to probe six cases of alleged fake encounter killings.

Acting on two identical petitions filed by Human Rights Alert and the association in 2012, the apex court constituted the Hegde Commission in January last year to probe six cases from among 1528 cases of alleged fake encounter killings that took place between 1978 and 2012 in Manipur.

The petitions sought the constitution of a special investigation team to probe all the 1,528 cases. The Hegde Commission submitted its findings to the Supreme Court on April 14 last year, stating that the victims in the six cases, including a 12-year-old boy were killed in fake encounters.

The Supreme Court is holding hearings on the findings of the Hegde Commission. The hearing is likely to resume after the courtís vacation ends, Basanta Wareppa, the lawyer for the petitioners, said.